Back in May this was the consensus... of course the jury is still out on the real impact of masks... but common sense rules the day. By common sense I mean, if you are sitting by yourself 20 ft away from other people outdoors, you should not be arrested for not wearing a mask. That said, just like anything, there are extremes people who do not want to wear masks under any circumstances and those people who want to throw you in jail if you do not wear one. My argument is in the middle, Bambooza seems to be on the side of common sense, and Montoya is dictating.
From May 20th - NIH - This WAS the stance back then...
Panel
Recommendations on face mask use in community settings
WHO 1
• If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection.
China 2
• People at moderate risk* of infection: surgical or disposable mask for medical use.
• People at low risk† of infection: disposable mask for medical use.
• People at very low risk‡ of infection: do not have to wear a mask or can wear non-medical mask (such as cloth mask).
Hong Kong 3
• Surgical masks can prevent transmission of respiratory viruses from people who are ill. It is essential for people who are symptomatic (even if they have mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask.
• Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly and practice good hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask.
Singapore 4
• Wear a mask if you have respiratory symptoms, such as a cough or runny nose.
Japan 5
• The effectiveness of wearing a face mask to protect yourself from contracting viruses is thought to be limited. If you wear a face mask in confined, badly ventilated spaces, it might help avoid catching droplets emitted from others but if you are in an open-air environment, the use of face mask is not very efficient.
USA 6
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask (including respirators) to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
• US Surgeon General urged people on Twitter to stop buying face masks.
UK 7
• Face masks play a very important role in places such as hospitals, but there is very little evidence of widespread benefit for members of the public.
Germany 8
• There is not enough evidence to prove that wearing a surgical mask significantly reduces a healthy person's risk of becoming infected while wearing it. According to WHO, wearing a mask in situations where it is not recommended to do so can create a false sense of security because it might lead to neglecting fundamental hygiene measures, such as proper hand hygiene.
From May 20th - NIH - This WAS the stance back then...
Panel
Recommendations on face mask use in community settings
WHO 1
• If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection.
China 2
• People at moderate risk* of infection: surgical or disposable mask for medical use.
• People at low risk† of infection: disposable mask for medical use.
• People at very low risk‡ of infection: do not have to wear a mask or can wear non-medical mask (such as cloth mask).
Hong Kong 3
• Surgical masks can prevent transmission of respiratory viruses from people who are ill. It is essential for people who are symptomatic (even if they have mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask.
• Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly and practice good hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask.
Singapore 4
• Wear a mask if you have respiratory symptoms, such as a cough or runny nose.
Japan 5
• The effectiveness of wearing a face mask to protect yourself from contracting viruses is thought to be limited. If you wear a face mask in confined, badly ventilated spaces, it might help avoid catching droplets emitted from others but if you are in an open-air environment, the use of face mask is not very efficient.
USA 6
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask (including respirators) to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
• US Surgeon General urged people on Twitter to stop buying face masks.
UK 7
• Face masks play a very important role in places such as hospitals, but there is very little evidence of widespread benefit for members of the public.
Germany 8
• There is not enough evidence to prove that wearing a surgical mask significantly reduces a healthy person's risk of becoming infected while wearing it. According to WHO, wearing a mask in situations where it is not recommended to do so can create a false sense of security because it might lead to neglecting fundamental hygiene measures, such as proper hand hygiene.
